Treasury yields trade higher amid data, Fed speeches

U.S. government debt prices were lower Thursday as investors looked to Friday's key employment report and reacted to comments on Wednesday from Fed Chair Janet Yellen, who reiterated the possibility of raising rates in December, given supportive data.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note sat at around 2.24 percent, after closing at 2.23 percent on Wednesday. The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was also higher, at 3.00 percent, after closing at 2.994 percent.

Two-year yields were turned negative to trade at 0.82 percent.

Ahead of Friday's employment report, investors took in weekly jobless claims, which came in higher than expected at 276,000, and third-quarter productivity, which rose 1.6 percent.

New York Fed President William Dudley also spoke for the second straight day Thursday morning, saying bankers need to improve its culture, with Fed Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer echoing the same sentiment in another speech.

On Wednesday, Dudley spoke about monetary policy, echoing Yellen's comments that next month's FOMC meeting could end with the first Fed rate hike in nearly a decade.